The following information is from FINRA’s website under “Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions, January, 2013.” Alison Marie Janke (CRD #4409155, Registered Representative, Port Richey, Florida) was fined $11,600, which includes the disgorgement of financial benefit received of $6,600, and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for three months. Without admitting or […]

The following information is from FINRA’s website under “Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions, January, 2013.” Charles Tuttle Mason aka Chip Mason (CRD #2206257, Registered Principal, St. Pete Beach, Florida) and Darren Duane Gibson (CRD #2311950, Registered Representative,Oceanside, California) were each fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for three […]

Soreide Law Group is currently investigation the UBS Willow Fund. This distressed debt hedge fund was formed in 2000. In October, 2012, its investors were informed that the fund would be liquidated after having sustained substantial losses. Willow Fund’s net asset value declined over $300 million. In December, 2012, a class action lawsuit was filed […]

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) released its 2013 regulatory and examination priorities letter. The annual letter alerts the broker-dealer community to what Finra examiners will be looking for in the coming year. FINRA will continue to watch yield-oriented products this year but FINRA also will be focusing on business development companies (BDCs), exchange-traded […]

Moshar v. Wells Fargo, FINRA ID # 11-00556 (Los Angeles, CA, 1/9/2013) A couple was recently awarded $1,333,300 in compensatory damages through a FINRA arbitration. The claimants charged Wells Fargo with the following: breach of fiduciary duty, breach of written contract, fraud by misrepresentation and omission, failure to supervise and control, and violation of federal […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission, also known as the 'SEC,' has filed 734 enforcement actions the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2012. That is one less than last year’s record of 735. The SEC’s report should remind investors that investment fraud is still a threat to investors. The SEC filed 147 enforcement actions in […]

Soeide Law Group is currently investigating broker, Bambi I. Holzer, CRD #1088028. Ms. Holzer is currently a registered representative with Newport Coast Securities of Beverly Hills, CA. There have allegedly been numerous (over 50) reports filed against her in her 25+ year career, and over $11 million in awards and settlements. Several of these complaints […]

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority levied a total of $68 million in civil fines during 2012, according to statistics released by FINRA on Tuesday, January 8, 2013. This was slightly less than $71.9 million imposed by FINRA in 2011. The high-profile cases against large brokerages accounted for about one-third of total fines in 2012. […]

Massachusetts securities regulators sued LPL Financial, LLC, in December over sales practices of brokers regarding the REITs. Secretary of the Commonwealth, William Galvin, charged LPL Financial with a failure to supervise registered reps who sold the nontraded REITs in violation of both state limitations and the company's rules. The Securities Division also charged LPL Financial […]